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At present, there seems to be a stigma surrounding Windows RT and Microsoft's Surface. That stigma centers around the misconception that the "dumbed down" operating system and the flagship hardware designed around it lacks the means for true productivity. After purchasing a Surface (with personal funds) and spending the entire weekend with it, I'm here to tell you that's simply not true. Here are 4 things curious consumers need to know before writing off the Surface RT.

1: The Desktop: Useful Beyond Just Microsoft Office

Microsoft bundles Office 2013 Home & Student Edition with your purchase of the Surface RT. Countless reviews have criticized the Surface desktop environment as "useless" outside of running Office software. But longtime users will be grateful to discover a fully functional version of classic Windows Explorer.

More than "METRO" | Surface RT network access

What does this mean for Surface RT owners? You can access all files in your Homegroup, access shared folders from other computers on your network, and even map network drives which will automatically reconnect upon restarting the machine. As you can see from the screenshot below, Windows RT is functional well beyond the Start screen tiles and "Don't call it Metro" interface.

2: Multiple Logins: A Tablet For More Than One Person

As with any prior Microsoft OS, you can have multiple user accounts on Windows RT, and by extension on your Surface RT. The implication? It's an ideal device for families or even for roommates. You can use your personal Xbox Live or Microsoft ID, have your own customized settings and files, etc. When looking at the Surface as a tablet, this is a clear advantage over Android and iOS devices.

3: Surface As Workstation And Second Screen

Microsoft has thankfully included a Micro-HDMI port on the Surface, which means you can output your display without the need for a clumsy accessory. (Don't purchase Microsoft's "proprietary" cable; you can buy a standard Micro-HDMI cable for a paltry $3.00 at Amazon.) As for the USB 2.0 port, you can confidently attach anything that's supported by the Windows 8 driver library.

Unlike other devices, this functionality is what you'd expect from a desktop Windows experience. You can easily duplicate or extend your Surface display to an external monitor with a resolution up to 1920 x 1080. Put the Desktop app on one screen and have the Start screen with live tiles on your secondary monitor. Open up your mail client on Surface, and connect to a remote computer on your auxiliary display.

Secondary display with the Surface RT

Which of course brings us to...

4: Remote Desktop

Surface RT includes the desktop version of Remote Desktop, and a free Modern UI version is available in the Windows App Store. Provided your host PC supports remote desktop connections you'll be ready to just enter your credentials and go. If Remote Desktop isn't your cup of tea, I highly recommend TeamViewer, a more elegant option that's 100% free for personal use.

Windows Explorer, full networking and shared drive functionality, USB support, secondary displays, multiple logins, and Remote Desktop capabilities. For the naysayers insisting that Microsoft's Surface RT isn't a capable productivity machine and a value at its asking price, these points beg to differ.